A reliable and affordable file hosting service is more than necessary for the smooth operation of companies worldwide. With more and more developments happening in the digital landscape of the world, even individuals are struggling with storage and file sharing. With just one Google search, you can find hundreds of file hosting services. But which one should you pick?
This article is for people who are trying to find free file hosting services for their business or personal use. Here, we will cover everything related to file hosting including why use the service, how it works, and more. Below, we will be also providing a review of some of the best free file hosting services available.
What is File Hosting
File hosting, or cloud storage, is an online service that allows users to store their data and files in a remote server. This allows users to upload, share, and download their files whenever, and wherever they want using the internet.
You can use the service to store any type of digital content in the cloud. It will be usually stored privately and can be accessed by using a username and password.
In addition to storing content as a means of backup and for sharing, the file hosting services also allow users to embed them into their websites. So, if you are a business owner or an individual, you may find file hosting services helpful.
Also Read: Top 15 Best File Sharing Websites
Why Use File Hosting Services?
Now, if you think about it, you can use local backup storage such as external hard drives, or flash sticks instead of online file hosting services. But, here are some of the many benefits that come with file hosting:
Accessibility
Since file hosting services use remote servers for storing the content, you can access it from anywhere as long as you have a good enough internet connection. This accessibility is especially helpful if you are a frequent traveler, or if you have a dispersed organization.
Collaboration
Most of the file hosting services allow multiple people to work on the same file. This can help improve coordination and overall efficiency.
Organizing
Many file hosting services provide auto-organizing services. The platform may categorize the content uploaded according to its nature. It may also allow you to give distinctive tags for each file, making it easy to find.
Sharing Large Files
It becomes a nightmare when you want to share large files such as multimedia files or software with multiple people. But with file hosting services, you can just share the link and an access key to the files with as many people as you want.
Security
Credible file hosts provide security features such as password protection and multi-factor authentication to protect against data breaches. So, even if someone managed to get the link to your files, they wouldn’t be able to view or alter them.
The file-hosting services usually offer their storage space in exchange for a service fee or autopay subscription plan. However, you can also find credible hosting services for free or partially free. It is best to find what your needs are and select a service that suits you the best.
Top Free File Hosting Services
We have already seen what file hosting is and why it is used. However, using a paid file hosting service might be challenging for personal use or small businesses. Here are some of the best free file hosting services you can use.
| Sl | File Hosting | Free Storage | Paid Plans* |
| 1 | Google Drive | 15 GB | 100 GB for $1.99/month 200 GB for $2.99/month 2 TB for $9.99/month |
| 2 | Microsoft OneDrive | 5 GB | 100 GB for $1.99/month 1 TB for $6.99/month (includes Microsoft 365 Personal) |
| 3 | Dropbox | 2 GB | Plus: 2 TB for $11.99/month Professional: 3 TB for $19.99/month |
| 4 | Box.com | 10 GB | Personal Pro: 100 GB for $10/month |
| 5 | MediaFire | 12 GB (expandable to 50 GB through referrals and promotions) | Pro: 1 TB for $3.75/month Business: 100 TB for $40/month |
| 6 | Mega | 20 GB | Pro Lite: 400 GB for €4.99/month Pro I: 2 TB for €9.99/month Pro II: 8 TB for €19.99/month Pro III: 16 TB for €29.99/month |
| 7 | pCloud | 10 GB | Premium: 500 GB for $4.99/month Premium Plus: 2 TB for $9.99/month |
| 8 | Sync.com | 5 GB | Solo Basic: 2 TB for $8/month Solo Professional: 6 TB for $20/month |
| 9 | 4Shared | 15 GB | Pro: 100 GB for $9.99/month. |
| 10 | SaberCatHost | 5 GB | $3.99/month for 10 GB. |
| 11 | WeTransfer | No permanent storage; allows sending up to 2 GB files | Pro: 1 TB storage for $12/month |
| 12 | ZippyShare | Unlimited (files deleted after 30 days of inactivity) | None available |
*Note that the pricing plan and storage options may vary depending on your geolocation and any ongoing promotions.
1. Google Drive
Google Drive is a free cloud storage service provided by Google. It allows the users to store and access files across devices. It also makes file sharing easy and time-efficient. Users can upload any kind of file to the drive including multimedia files, spreadsheets, documents, PDFs, etc.
Every Google account will come with a free Drive account a 15 GB of free storage, which will be shared among other Google accounts such as Photos, and Mail. The service is useful for collaboration, backup, and sharing large files. You can also switch to the paid version of your Google One account to expand your storage space.
2. Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-hosting service. It gives access to cloud storage for users with a Microsoft account. Every account will get a free storage of 5 GB which can be used for storing photos, videos, and files to keep them safe.
The files you store on Microsoft OneDrive are accessible across your devices logged into the same account. It also makes file sharing easy. If you need additional storage space than the allocated 5 GB, you can upgrade to a Microsoft 365 subscription.
3. Dropbox
Dropbox is a platform that offers cloud storage, and file synchronization services. The service can automatically synchronize selected folders to their servers, opening up a seamless way for sharing files with other members of the project. It can also stand as a backup storage for disaster management.
Dropbox is available across devices including mobile devices and it offers 2 GB of storage for free. If you want more storage space, you can upgrade to the Plus or Professional version of the app depending on your needs.
4. Box.com
Box is a California-based file hosting and content management service founded in 2005. More than personal use, Box is used as a professional storage space for businesses and professional that needs advanced features.
You can access and work on your files from anywhere with internet access. The first 10 GB of storage is offered for free you can acquire more by switching to the paid version. In addition to multimedia files, you can also store and view about 200+ file types including PDF, Word, Excel, and PSD.
5. MediaFire
“Easily upload and retrieve your files” – this is the promise of MediaFire, a cloud-based file hosting service. The platform is available on all devices including smartphones and computers. This means that you can access the files you uploaded across your devices.
The platform provides storage of up to 12 GB for free, which is expandable for up to 50 GB. It allows you to view docs, spreadsheets, video, and audio files without downloading. Security is another major feature of MediaFire that makes the service popular.
6. Mega
Mega is a user-controlled encrypted cloud storage service. This means that the uploaded files to the server can be only decrypted by the user’s devices and not by the cloud service. This gives the utmost protection and privacy to the users to store their personal or crucial professional files and documents.
The platform offers a generous 20 GB of storage for free to all registered users. It also offers free storage increments for successfully completing certain tasks such as referring to a friend. You can also choose the paid versions for extra storage space.
7. pCloud
pCloud is an online file host that allows users to store, view, and share files. It supports a range of files such as photos, videos, audio, and documents. It allows users to share specific files in the cloud storage with others using password protection and expiration dates.
pCloud has servers in the United States and the countries in the European Union. You can choose where you want to store your files. The application can automatically upload files from your device. The free version offers up to 10 GB of storage.
8. Sync.com
Sync is another encrypted file hosting service for professional and personal use. It can keep your files accessible across devices while making them safe, protected, and private. The platform offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring an extra layer of protection from unauthorized access.
Sync allows you to invite users for collaboration, making working on group projects much easier. You will get 5 GB storage for free after creating your account on the platform. If you need more storage space, you can do so by upgrading to the paid platform.
9. 4Shared
4Shared is a file host and library for uploading and sharing files from your devices. The website offers fast file search, one-tap save, instant file sharing and transfer, music and video streaming, free cloud storage, etc.
The free version of the app does contain ads and it offers 15 GB storage for free. You can switch to the paid version for more storage space and an ad-free experience.
10. SaberCatHost
SaberCatHost is a free file hosting service that allows users to upload and share a wide range of files. The free version only offers a limited storage space and you may encounter some ads. 50.00 MB is the maximum file size permissible on the free version.
The paid version of the service comes with a lot of flexibility in uploading and downloading. In addition to expanding the storage space, you will also be able to upload files of higher sizes.
11. WeTransfer
WeTransfer is not a conventional file hosting service like other websites listed here. It is a dedicated file-sharing service for large files. It is a go-to option for professionals to share raw files, software, and working files with other members of the team, or client.
The free version of WeTransfer allows users to share files up to 2GB in size at a time. These files usually get deleted from the server after a set number of days. You do not need to create an account to use the free service. However, if you need to share files of a higher size, you need to switch to the paid version.
12. Zippyshare
Zippyshare free file hosting service allows users to upload limitless numbers of files below 500 MB of size. The storage space is free and it does not have any download limits. The service will be really helpful for small-scale and medium-business ventures.
You can upload and share files using Zippyshare without having a registered account on the platform. Features such as file encryption, universal accessibility, and live statistics regarding the number of downloads make the platform unique. However, if your files are bigger than 500 MB, then Zippyshare is not for you.
Read More: Top 15 Best Video Websites
Conclusion
File hosting or cloud storage is the process of uploading files to a server connected to the internet. File hosting allows users to access their files remotely. There are hundreds of such services on the internet. While most of them charge a fee for their services, some offer free or partially free file hosting.
Some of the best free file hosting services include Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, and more. These platforms are accessible on a range of devices including desktops, laptops, Android, and iOS. In addition to hosting, these platforms also allow you to share files easily.
